1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developer replenishing mechanism having a developing apparatus for replenishing the developing apparatus with a developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A developer replenishing apparatus for replenishing a developing device which is a developing apparatus for effecting the developing process with a developer has a developer bottle which is storing means (a storing container) storing the developer therein, and a carrying portion which is carrying means for carrying the developer supplied from the developer bottle to the developing device, and is designed to replenish the developing device with the stored developer in conformity with the consumption of the developer in the developing device resulting from the image forming operation.
The developer bottle is detachably attachable from the carrying portion, and it is possible to continue to replenish the developing device with the developer by detaching the developer bottle in which the developer has been consumed and attaching a new developer bottle.
Also, the supply of the developer from the developer bottle to the carrying portion is effected by rotating a supplying screw which is a developer carrying member provided in the developer bottle by driving means such as a motor to thereby discharge the developer from the developer bottle.
The driving means may have an abnormality such as an abnormal load monitored by abnormality detecting means which is load detecting means, and when an abnormal load or the like occurs, driving is stopped to thereby prevent the destruction of the driving means.
In such a developer replenishing apparatus, however, it is known that the inclination or solidification of the developer in the developer bottle occurs depending on a method of preserving the developer bottle, and when the inclination or solidification occurs, the rotational load of the supplying screw may increase and may sometimes exceed the amount of drivable load of the driving means.
In such cases, the abnormality detecting means detects abnormality and the driving by the driving means is stopped, whereby the problem of the destruction of the driving means is solved, but by the detection of this abnormality, an image forming apparatus assumes an operation-inhibited state (an operation-interrupted state), and for the user of the image forming apparatus, this has led to a remarkable reduction in work efficiency.
On the other hand, it is also known that the inclination or solidification of the developer as described above can be eliminated in most cases by once detaching the developer bottle from the carrying portion, and shaking the developer bottle, and thereafter attaching it again.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer replenishing mechanism in which when the inclination or solidification of a developer in a storing container occurs, the damage of the driving portion of a developer carrying member in the storing container is prevented.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a developer replenishing mechanism in which the time during which the developing operation of a developing apparatus is interrupted is shortened to thereby prevent any reduction in a user""s work efficiency.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.